Method of making silicon carbid.



F. J. TONE.

METHOD OF MAKING SILICON GARBID.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J". TONE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 CARBORUNDUM COM- PANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPRATON OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING'- SILICON CARRIE).

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January '7, 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Serial No. 471,094.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. TONE, of Niagara Falls, county of Niagara, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Making Silicon Carbid, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a sectional side elevation showing' one form of apparatusfor carrying out my invention; and F ig. 2 is a similar view showing another form of apparatus therefor.

My invention relates to the production of silicon carbid, and is designed to reduce the number of furnaces necessary for a certain output and increase the output of single furnaces.

Under the present practice, a stationary electric furnace is employed consisting of a long rectangular receptacle with stationary electrodes at opposite ends, the charge of coke and sand being placed around a resistance core embedded therein. The current passes through the resistance core which is in cont-act with the electrodes in its end portion. The furnace is operated for a certain period varying from twenty-four to thirtysix hours, after which the current is cut of, the furnace cooled down, and the contents removed. It is then re-charged and the operation repeated. The period of cooling and re-clntrging occupies several days, and consequently, a series of furnaces is necessary in order to keep one furnace in operation at all times. The output of a furnace is therefore comparatively small.

My invention is designed to aiiord a continuous process in which there is no cooling down or cessation of operation, the current being continuously supplied as are also the charge and core. The inished products are also removed in a substantially continuous manner.

In the drawing, referring to the form of F ig. l, I show a furnace of vertical type in which l and 2 are the upper and lower lixed electrodes held in any suitable manner. The side walls of the furnace are formed of transversely divided refractory sect-ions 3, secured to or having racl; sections A, engaging with pinions 5, 5, which may be operated in any suitable manner to give a continuous or intermittent downward movement to the wall sections. The wall sections may be guided within any suitable supports or guides to hold the charge and core in place, and are added at the top and removed at the bottom in the downward movement.

The resistance conductor consists of granular core material G, which is supplied at and around the upper electrode, and is surrounded by the charge mixture of carbon and silicious material 7, which is also supplied at the top. As the containing walls move downward, they carry with them the charge and resistance core. The rate of motion is so regulated that when the charge shall have reached the lower electrode, it will have been converted into silicon carbid, the zone of carbid which is formed being of such diameter as will represent an economical rate of production. The lower electrode is preferably pointed or conical in shape, so that the core material and finished product will be given an outward movement, and fed into a position where it may be readily removed from the furnace.

In Fig. 2, l show another horizontal type of furnace for carrying out the process. ln this case, the furnace proper consists of sections 8, having refractory floor and side walls alnitting together to form a continuous channel-sha,` ed furnace, which may be open at each end a id at the top. These sections are mounted upon carriers shown as trucks or wheels 9, and are given a longitudinal movement during the operation. The electrodes lO and ll are stationary and depend from a fixed support l2. They extend through the upper portion of the charge 18, into the resistance core material lll. As the furnace sections travel endwise, the electrodes plow through the charge mixture and maintain. contact with the resistance core, the distance between the electrodes being constant at all times. Fresh mixture and fresh resistance core are supplied at the entrance end upon fresh sections of the furnace in advance of the irst elect-rode, and after the reduced and finished charge passes the second electrode the products are removed. and separated. The furnace sections are shown as traveling in the direction of the arrow and in both drawings the hatched portion indicates the zone of silicon carbid product.

The advantages of my invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The

product of a single furnace is greatly increased, as the operation is substantially continuous; and by the Word continuous l mean to cover a completely continuous movement and discharge or an intermittent movement and discharge at desirable interva-ls. The period ot nonuse of the furnace is done away With, and the operation is simple and easily carried out.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the apparatus, Without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of producing silicon carbid7 consisting in providing a charge of silicious and carbonaceous material in substantially reacting proportions, around a core ot conducting resistance material continuously supplyingcurrent to the conducting resistance material, moving the resistance material and charge during the passage otl the current, and supplying resistance material and charge material atone point in the movement and removing it at another point in the movement.

2. The method of producing silicon carbid, consisting in providing a charge of silicious and carbonaceous material in substantially reacting proportions, around a core of conducting resistance material passing electric current through the resistance core7 supplying the charge material in contact With the core, moving the core and charge material during the operation, and

supplying and removing the materials in a substantially continuous manner.

3. The method of producing silicon carbid, which consists in providing a charge or silicious and carbonaceous material in suhstantially reacting proportions around a rcsistance core, supplying electric current to the core7 moving the charge and core materials past the electrodes, and continuously supplying the core and charge material in one portion and removing them at another portion.

t. rlhe process of producing silicon cars bid, Which consists in providing a charge of silicious and carbonaceous material in substantially reacting proportions supplying a core of conducting resistance material einbedded in and inclosed by the charge ot silicious and carbonaceous material, oppositely disposing and maintaining the electrode terminals in conductive relation with said core, passing electric current through said resistance material continuously moving` said resistance material and charge with reference to said electrodes, continuously supplying charge and resistance material at the first electrode and removing the finished product atthe second electrode.

ln testimony Whereoi", l have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK J'. TONE. lVitnesses SELDEN H. HALL, lV. A. DWYER. 

